Does current sex-ed curriculum in California go far enough?

Some say no

Material presented to students in sex education classes around the state this year tells them that condoms are 86 to 100 percent effective in preventing HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, but does not say condoms won’t prevent disease transmitted by skin-to-skin contact.

The material is part of Positive Prevention, a widely used sex-education curriculum published by the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross, which is presented to students through a Power Point presentation.

The presentation covers the various ways in which sexually transmitted diseases are spread, but some think it doesn’t go far enough.

“The condom can only protect what it covers,” said Ashley Neumann, a sex education teacher who says the material doesn’t clearly tell students that diseases spread by skin-to-skin contact can’t be prevented through the use of a condom.

Neumann said when she contacted the author, he agreed to revise it and have it re-published in time for next school year.

A spokeswoman for the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross did not respond to KCRA 3’s requests for information about the curriculum.

Neither did a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, which also reviews the curriculum.

But the Department of Education, which adopted it, said it has been in use since 2003, but has been revised during that time.

The state consultant who reviewed the curriculum, Sharla Smith, said it’s medically accurate.

Smith said even if revisions are made, re-publishing the Power Point slide with more detailed information about skin-to-skin contact cannot be done before the end of this school year.

"This is May 20, and some schools are out this Friday,” Smith said. “And so, the onus is on the local education agency to meet the education code in its entirety."

That means teachers have to fill in what they think is missing.

Meanwhile, Neumann is not the only one concerned.

Mindy Fox, a parent of a 16-year-old boy, said she thinks the more information students are given, the better.

“If there are omissions about HPV and skin-to-skin contact, I'd be concerned,” Fox said. “They should be added."

KCRA 3 medical expert Dr. Tom Hopkins said parents should not depend entirely on schools to educate their kids about sex. Hopkins thinks it’s best to consider what’s taught in school as only a guideline.

“So, it's always good that these guidelines are taken not just from the school, but taken as a tool that parents can have so the parent can feel comfortable having the discussion," he said.

HARD TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND . UNFORTUNATELY A PARENT CONCERNED OVER WHAT IS NOT IN THE STATE SEX EDUCATION MATERIAL THAT COULD AFFECT STUDENTS'HEALTH. THE LEADING AGENCY SAYS YOU CANNOT MAKE ANY CHANGES. THE LAST PARENT CONCERNED OVER WHAT IS NOT IN THE STATE HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS THE TIME WHEN THOUSANDS OF TEENAGERS ACROSS CALIFORNIA ARE TAKING SEX ED. THERE IS INFORMATION THEY WILL NOT FIND. CURRICULUM USED WIDELY ACROSS THE STATE. IT TELLS STUDENTS THAT CONDOMS ARE 85 %-100 % EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING ST STD'S. I TRUST THE DEPARTMENT AND I TRUST THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. WE WASTED THEIR MONEY. SHE SAID WHEN SHE TIME WHEN CONTACTED THE AUTHOR HE AGREED TO REVISE IT BUT ONLY IN TIME FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONSULTANT WHO REVIEWED THIS CURRICULUM AND INSISTED THE MATERIAL IS MEDICALLY ACCURATE UNTIL WE TOLD HER THE RED CROSS HAS AGREED TO MAKE CHANGES. SHE SAID THE STATE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE REVISE INFORMATION TO THIS YEAR'S STUDENTS. THIS IS MAY 20 AND SOME SCHOOLS ARE OUT THIS FRIDAY. THAT MEANS TEACHERS HAVE TO FILL IN WHAT IS MISSING. NEWMAN IS NOT THE ONLY ONE ALARMED BY WHAT IS NOT IN THESE PAGES. MINDY HAS A 16-YEAR-OLD BOY. IF THERE ARE EMISSIONS -- INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE ADDED [INAUDIBLE] WHAT IS ALWAYS GOOD IS IF THESE GUIDELINES ARE USED AS A CO TOOL THE PARENT CAN HAVE SO THE PARENT CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION. ASK WHILE SOME THINGS ABOUT SAFE